Raku Firing 

Project Challenge: Develop 2-3 forms that relate through subject and surface: at least one must be thrown, at least one must be a realistically formed animal.  

Raku firing is where pieces are immediately moved from the hot kiln into a pile of wood chips. The wax could be used to create patterns as the glaze beads off it, and then the wax is burned off in the kiln. In my design, I only used wax for the eye as most of my piece was covered in glaze.

I am very happy with how it came out. I'm happy because nothing broke, and also I got some cool glaze colors that make the tucan’s beak pop. My two pieces relate as my bowl is meant to be a papaya, and the keel-billed toucan eats papayas. I think the only thing I could have done to create more of a relationship is maybe make a bowl more in the shape of a papaya to make it clearer what it was.

I think the most informative part it when we went through the studio and got a little explanation of everything in the studio. I think the only thing that could have been a bit better is a more defined lunch time, but it worked out well while we were there, so no real complaints.